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News & Issues Synthetic turf innovations help improve the golfing experience14 Oct, 2011By: Rick Doyle, Synthetic Turf CouncilAthletic Turf News
From serious golfers looking to fine-tune their scoring skills to players experiencing
the game for the first time, a growing number of people are using synthetic grass to improve their golfing experience. During
the past year, Synthetic Turf Council members have unveiled creative installations and innovations that have changed the way golf is played on courses and
at home.
While synthetic turf is typically identified with athletic fields or landscaping, golf applications are
a
rapidly expanding sector of our industry. Traditional golf courses and backyard greens have been
incorporating
synthetic grass to create an attractive, environmentally-friendly solution.
Enhancing golf courses
Although many golf courses are recognized for their spectacular landscapes, concerns have been raised about the amount of
water needed to keep venues green. A June 2008 National Public Radio story called “Water-Thirsty Golf Courses Need to Go Green” reported “Audubon International estimates that the average American golf course uses 312,000 gallons of water per day.
In a place like Palm Springs, where 57 golf courses challenge the desert, each course eats up a million gallons a day. That
is, each course each day in Palm Springs consumes as much water as an American family of four uses in four years.”
As Andy White of Challenger Industries explains, “more golf facilities are turning to synthetic tee lines
to save water and create relief for natural grass that can’t sustain daily play.” He cites the example of Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club in Tennessee, whose switch to synthetic grass tee lines has made the driving range more usable for all players.
Synthetic grass has also been used to improve the aesthetics of high-use areas. Pebble Beach Golf Links in Monterey County, California, host of five U.S. Open Championships, is considered to be one
of the greatest public
golf courses in America. When the worn car path behind the 18th hole needed
to be modified prior to the mid-August start
of 2011 Classic Car Week, they turned to Synthetic Turf International to match ground colors and install synthetic grass in the area, reducing maintenance needs in the process.
Installing backyard golf facilities
Any golfer will improve his or her game with practice. Now a growing
number of enthusiasts are installing synthetic grass greens in their back yards to increase practice time without leaving
the comfort of home.
“While most homes will buy a 1,000- to 1,500-ft. green, we are now installing 50 to
60 full-blown par 3s a year with proper tee boxes,” notes Henry van Antwerp of Synthetic Turf International, which has
installed about 4,500 backyard golf facilities. “This trend represents how serious golfers will customize their ultimate
practice experience in the future.”
TurfDIRECT in Scottsdale, AZ, recently helped a client turn non-usable areas of his back yard into
an entertainment complex
for the whole family. They built a complete par 3 course, with a 72-yd.
approach shot from the tee box. Adding
lush synthetic grass to the desertscape has also allowed the
family to enjoy activities like volleyball and bocce ball.
A growing selection of portable synthetic grass golf greens appeal to players at all levels. SYNLawn has partnered with golf researcher and teaching professional Dave Pelz to create a line of do-it-yourself putting greens
to allow users to practice their short game in their home or office.
Making golf accessible
Synthetic grass installations and innovations are making golf accessible for more people. Last year,
Heavenly Greens completed a 12,000 sq ft installation for the Golf Learning Center at Visitacion Valley
Middle School in San Francisco.
The first of its kind nationwide, the Learning Center was purposely built in one of San Francisco’s most under-served
communities to help bring golf to inner city youth as part of the First Tee Program of San Francisco. Based in San Jose, CA,
Heavenly Greens calculated that as of 2010, its synthetic turf golf and landscape installations have conserved 1 billion gallons
of water in Northern California.
UltraBaseSystems of St. Petersburg, FL, works with Adventure Golf Services to convert under-
utilized tennis courts into golf facilities. Take Fort Sill, OK, for example. The military base
wanted
to create more recreation opportunities for on-site military and their families. Within a day or so,
they
were able to convert unused tennis courts into a golf practice and teaching facility that can
accommodate 20 people at
once instead of just four tennis players.
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Monday, February 14, 2011
Synthetic Turf Installed in North America Conserves More Than Three Billion Gallons of Water. Synthetic Turf Installed in North America
Conserves More Than Three Billion Gallons of Water, Eliminates Nearly a Billion Pounds of Pesticides and Fertilizers and
Has Recycled Over 105 Million Tires Numerous Eco-friendly benefits of artificial grass empower users to reduce our carbon footprint ATLANTA, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- While millions
of people, businesses, schools and homeowners use synthetic turf for landscape and play, one of its major beneficiaries
is the environment. As of 2011, the estimated total amount of synthetic turf installed in North
America annually conserves more than three billion gallons of water, significantly reduces smog emissions
and eliminates close to a billion pounds of harmful fertilizers and pesticides. The industry has also recycled more than
105 million used tires. "Synthetic turf has made a very positive impact on the environment,"
said Rick Doyle, President of the Synthetic Turf Council. "The synthetic turf industry continues to innovate to enhance synthetic turf's numerous eco-friendly benefits that
empower users to reduce their carbon footprint." Significant Environmental Impact
- Conserves over three billion gallons of water. Water is one of our
most precious resources. More than 6,000 synthetic turf fields are currently being used in the
United States, with each full-sized field saving between 500,000 to 1,000,000 gallons plus of water each year. During
2010, that meant at least three billion gallons of water, and perhaps as much as six billion or more, was saved through the
use of synthetic turf fields.
- Eliminates
the need to water lawns. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over one-third of residential
water is used for lawn irrigation nationwide, totaling more than 4 billion gallons of water a day. The Southern Nevada Water
Authority also estimates that every square foot of grass replaced with synthetic turf saves an additional 55 gallons of
water per year. Therefore, an average lawn of 1,800 square feet will save 99,000 gallons of water a year if landscaped
with synthetic turf – about 70% of a homeowner's water bill, or up to $500.
- Eradicates the use of almost a billion pounds of pesticides
and fertilizers. The EPA has identified runoff of toxic pesticides and fertilizers as a principal cause of water
pollution. In Florida alone, the EPA estimates that about 1,000 miles of rivers and streams, 350,000 acres of lakes
and 900 square miles of estuaries are impaired by runoff of pesticides and fertilizers. Synthetic turf eliminates the need
for nearly a billion pounds of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides which are used to maintain grass.
- Keeps more than 105 million used tires out of landfills.
Most of the synthetic turf sports fields and landscape applications in use incorporate crumb rubber infill recycled from
used tires, keeping more than 105 million used tires out of landfills.
- Depending on field usage, synthetic turf can lower consumption of energy, raw
materials and solid waste generation. BASF Corporation performed an Eco-Efficiency Analysis measuring environmental and economical impacts of synthetic turf athletic fields with professionally installed and maintained
grass alternatives. According to BASF, among the major findings of the study was that the average life cycle costs
over 20 years of a natural grass field are 15 percent higher than the synthetic turf alternatives, even when factoring in
a replacement synthetic turf field during that time. Released in November 2010, the life
cycle assessment found that with typical field usage, synthetic turf had a lower consumption of energy, raw materials and
solid waste generation than natural grass fields. BASF's eco-efficiency analysis is an award-winning and strategic tool,
based on the ISO 14040 standard for lifecycle analysis, which quantifies the sustainability of products or processes.
- Prevents smog and noxious emissions. According
to the EPA, lawn mowers are a significant source of pollution that impairs lung function, inhibits plant growth, and is
a key ingredient of smog. A gas-powered push mower emits as much hourly pollution as 11 cars, and a riding mower emits
as much as 34 cars. In addition, the EPA estimates that over 17 million gallons of gas and oil are spilled each year
from refueling lawn equipment; that is more oil than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez.
- Reduces grass clippings. The EPA estimated in 2002
that 12% of what goes into landfills is yard waste. During the summer months, clippings can account for nearly half
of a community's waste. Switching to synthetic turf reduces this significant source of environmental pollution.
Schools, parks, businesses, municipalities, homeowners, golf courses and others
using synthetic turf can receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits for Water Efficient Landscaping, Stormwater Design, Recycled Content and Rapidly Renewable Materials from the U.S. Green Building Council. Many synthetic turf companies have also created products that are 100% recyclable. 'Green' options also exist
for recycling, reusing and disposing of infill and the synthetic turf itself. The industry is working hard to develop further
eco-friendly end-of-life disposal solutions. About the Synthetic Turf Council
Based in Atlanta, the Synthetic Turf Council was founded in 2003 to promote
the industry and to assist buyers and end users with the selection, use and maintenance of synthetic turf systems in sports
field, golf, municipal parks, airports, landscape and residential applications. The organization is also a resource
for current, credible, and independent research on the safety and environmental impact of synthetic turf. Membership
includes builders, landscape architects, testing labs, maintenance providers, manufacturers, suppliers, installation contractors,
infill material suppliers and other specialty service companies. For more information, visit www.syntheticturfcouncil.org. SOURCE Synthetic Turf Council Back to top RELATED LINKS
http://www.syntheticturfcouncil.org
Mon, February 14, 2011 | link
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